Crusty Artisan Bread

Crusty Artisan Bread

Ingredients

2 cups warm water

1 packet of yeast (about 2 teaspoon)

1 ½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon olive oil

4-5 cups flour

2 T corn meal

Instructions

1. Add yeast to warm water and allow to sit for 5 minutes

2. Sprinkle 2 tbsp corn meal onto a large baking sheet

3. Add sugar, salt and olive oil to yeast water mixture

4. Add the flour starting with four cups

5. Mix/knead by hand or in your mixer until dough comes together and no longer sticks to edges of bowl. You will most likely need to add the additional fifth cup of flour (once it is not sticking continue to knead for 3-5 minutes)

6. With floured hands divide dough into two equal pieces and form each piece into a ball

7.  Place dough balls (4-5 inches apart) on the baking sheet that has been sprinkled with corn meal (make sure each dough ball is coated generously with flour)

8. Using a serrated knife, make a tic tac toe design on the top of each ball

9. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 40-60 minutes or until dough has doubled in size

10. Preheat oven to 500 degrees

11. Uncover dough that has doubled in size and place on middle rack in your preheated oven

12. Throw 3-4 ice cubes in the bottom of the oven and close door (this is the magic step that makes the crust on the bread AMAZING!

13. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until bread is golden brown
14. Remove bread from oven and cool on rack

Tricia's Famous Salads

"Mimm's Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing"

3/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup canola oil

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 Tbsp. course grain mustard

1 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. savory

1 tsp. rosemary

Served over a bed of mixed salad greens, toasted walnuts, slice pears (or green apples), white raisins, and goat cheese. 

Spicy Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

1/4 cup canola oil

2 Tbsp. cider vinegar

2 Tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

8 dashes Tabasco sauce

pepper (I use lots of pepper!)

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Served over a bed of mixed salad greens, sliced strawberries (or mandarin oranges), caramelized pecans (or almonds), Gorgonzola cheese.  I go heavy on the vinegar, Tabasco sauce, and pepper.  I usually put in a mason jar and shake vigorously to get it to blend well. 

(from Tricia Simpson)

Cream of Pumpkin Soup

Cream of Pumpkin Soup (from Tricia Simpson)

2 Tbsp. butter

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 tsp. chopped garlic

15 oz. can Pure Pumpkin

32 oz. chicken broth

pinch of grated nutmeg

salt and white pepper to taste

1-cup heavy cream

1/4 cup grated Asiago cheese

1 Tbsp. fresh chopped Italian flathead parsley

Melt butter.  Add onion and sauté (do not brown).  Add garlic, stir in pumpkin, broth, nutmeg, salt and pepper.  Simmer 5 minutes.  Stir in cream and heat through.  Stir in cheese and parsley just before serving.  I usually triple this recipe which fills up a crock-pot and has some left over.  I think a double recipe would be enough for one crock-pot though. 

Chicken Rigatoni

Chicken Rigatoni (Similar to Carmela's Chicken at Macaroni Grill)

INGREDIENTS

            2 T. olive oil

                 4 T. butter

            8 
ounces mushrooms

            12 
ounces grilled chicken

            
salt and pepper

            2 
teaspoons basil

            6 
ounces caramelized onion

            6 
ounces marsala cooking wine

            20 
ounces heavy cream

            24 
ounces rigatoni pasta -or- two bunches of broccolini, lightly sautéed 

            2 
ounces parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
In a hot sauté pan add butter, oil, mushrooms, chicken, basil, caramelized onions, salt and pepper and sauté for approximately 60 to 90 seconds. 

Add the wine and sauté for 60 seconds. Add the heavy cream and bring to a boil over high heat. Dip pre-cooked pasta in boiling water for 10 seconds, drain thoroughly. 

Put pasta in sauté pan and sauté until well incorporated. Toss briefly over fire, add parmesan cheese and continue to toss until cheese is completely incorporated. 

Transfer to plate, garnish with parsley.

*I prefer to replace the rigatoni with lightly sautéed broccolini for a lower carb dish.

Chicken Corn Chowder

Ingredients

•   4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter

•   1 whole onion, chopped

•   3 slices bacon, cut into pieces

•   3 whole bell peppers, finely diced (red, yellow, orange)

•   5 ears corn, kernels sliced off

•   1/4 cup all-purpose flour

•   3 cups chicken stock or broth

•   2 cups half-and-half

•   1 heaping cup grated Monterey Jack

•   1 heaping cup grated pepper Jack

•   1/3 cup sliced green onions

•   Salt and freshly ground black pepper

•   1 deli fully-cooked rotisserie chicken

Directions

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the bacon and cook for another minute or so, and then add the bell peppers and cook for a couple of minutes. Finally, add the corn and cook for a minute.

Sprinkle the flour evenly over the top and stir to combine. Pour in the chicken stock and stir well. Allow this to thicken for 3 or 4 minutes, and then reduce the heat to low. Stir in the half-and-half, and then cover and allow to simmer and thicken for 15 minutes or so.

Stir in the cheeses and green onions. When the cheese is melted and the soup is hot, check seasonings. Add salt and pepper as needed.

Debone and dice a rotisserie chicken from the deli, and add at the end. Continue to heat for 5 minutes until chicken is warm. 

(See below, on the left.)

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (Made with Coconut Oil)

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup all purpose flour (white whole wheat flour works, too.)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup coconut oil, softened (not melted)

2/3 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup old fashioned oats

1 cup dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips

Sea salt, for sprinkling on cookies

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together white whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together softened coconut oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat until smooth. Add in the egg and vanilla extract. Mix until combined.

4. With the mixer on low, slowly add in the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Don't overmix. Stir in the oats and chocolate chips.

5. Form the cookie dough into balls, about 2 tablespoons of dough. Place on prepared baking sheet, 2-inches apart. Sprinkle with sea salt, if desired. Bake for 10 minutes or until cookies are slightly golden around the edges and soft in the center. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and cool completely.

Note-cookies will keep in an airtight container on the counter for 2 days. The cookies also freeze well.

Makes 2 dozen cookies.